Cigarette sleeve



Feb. 18, 1958 2,823,679

R. J. VRANA CIGARETTE SLEEVE Filed April 13, 1954 2121a lair/[11111111111111 'IIIIIIIIIIIIII/T/ INVENTOR. 1911001211 J KPAAM BY V United States Patent CIGARETTE SLEEVE Rudolph J. Vrana, Blauvelt, N. Y.

Application April 13, 1954, Serial No. 422,834

1 Claim. (Cl. 131-174) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in smoking devices.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of an improved cigarette shield which will cover the lighted end of a cigarette, which will prevent dropping of ashes, and will also be usable as a holder so as to prevent discoloration of a smokers hands by nicotine from the cigarette.

As a further object, the present invention proposes forming the shield of fiberglas material in tubular shape with a conical inwardly extended end wall, the shield having inlet apertures to admit air to the burning end of a cigarette.

Still another object of the invention proposes forming the shield with an inner perforated tube and with a concentric outer holding tube coacting to define an insulating air space between the inner and outer tubes, thus to prevent said shield from becoming excessively warm to the touch.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette to which has been applied a shield constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, longitudinal sectional view of the shield shown in Fig. l, per se.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a lighted cigarette in the shield.

Fig. 4 is a slide elevational view illustrating a modification of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but illustrating another modification of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating another modification of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 7 but illustrating a still further modification of the invention.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged end elevational view of the form of Fig. 7, as seen from line 99 of Fig. 7.

The cigarette shield, in accordance with the first form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is in the form of a non-inflammable tubular sleeve 15.

Sleeve preferably is made of a firm, inexpensive, and readily disposable material such as, for example, fiberglas or asbestos paper. The tube or sleeve 15 has an end portion 16 formed open so as to slip over the lighted end 17 of a cigarette 18 and frictionally and slidably engage the unburned portion thereof.

Sleeve 15 has at its other end a conical, inwardly directed end wall 19'. This end wall 19 is imperforate, but the shield side wall adjacent thereto contains a plurality of air inlet openings 20 to admit air to the burning end 17 of cigarette 18 to support combustion.

The sleeve 15 is moved along the unburned portion of cigarette 18 as the cigarette is smoked and the sleeve the'mouthpiece portion 27 from the sleeve.

2,823,679 Patented Feb. 18, 1958 provides a convenient means to hold the cigarette without getting nicotine stain on the smokers fingers.

The air passing'openings 20 in the side wall of sleeve 15 may conveniently be formed by fashioning the shield side wall of wide mesh fiberglas material.

The modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 is characterized by the provision of a sleeve 24 made of similar material as sleeve 15 described above and having one portion 25 and an end wall 26 similar to end portion 16 and end wall 19 of the sleeve 15. In addition, however, sleeve 24 contains a mouthpiece portion 27 which extends from its end portion 16 and is joined thereto by a section 28 weakened by a circumferential series of perforations 29. In this manner, the sleeve 24 is perforated for easy severance by the user of The side wall of sleeve 24 contains air passing openings 30 adjacent end wall 26 In Fig. 6, the modification of the invention illustrated is simil'a'rto that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and like parts are given like reference numerals but those 'in Fig. 6 are primed to distinguish the figures. In addition, a filter 31 is either permanently or removably engaged in the outer end of mouthpiece portion 21 of sleeve 24'. Filter 31 may be one of any number of well known filters including cork, but preferably is made of crimped rolled filter paper.

The modification of the present invention illustrated in Fig. 7 i characterized by the provision of a shield 32 having an inner tubular sleeve 33 and an outer tubular sleeve 34 with an air space 35 between the sleeves. In this Way, a double-walled formation results that insulates the cigarette to permit the shield to be held without discomfort.

bhield 32 has an inner end portion 36 with a tapering mouth 37 to slip over the lighted end of a cigarette. The bore 38 of this inner end portion 36 frictionally and slidably engages the unburned portion cf a cigarette.

inner sleeve 33 and outer sleeve 34 are connected together, preferably integrally, at the inner end portion 36 ad acent the mouth 37. Outer sleeve 34 is spaced from and concentrically disposed around the inner sleeve 33.

The outer end portion 39 of the inner sleeve 33 and most of the length of the inner sleeve are rovided with a plurality of spaced air inlet openings 44. The inner and outer sleeves are also joined together at the outer end 41 of the shield and are provided with a circumferential series of air inlet openings 42 extending through the connection to the air passage or space 35 between the sleeves.

lnner sleeve 33 has an imperforate, conically shaped tip or end wall 43.

in this manner, the shield 32 is insulated by air space 35 so that it can be safely and comfortably held along its full length. Yet, ample air will be supplied to the burning end of a cigarette in a way to assure continual combustion so that the cigarette will not be extinguished. At the same time, the inner sleeve 33 and integral end plate 44 will assure that no hot ashes will fall or fly from the cigarette onto clothing or other combustible material.

The modification of the invention illustrated in Fig. 8 is characterized by the provision of a shield or tube 45 in the form of a thick tube of fiberglas or asbestos paper with numerous air spaces between the strands of fiberglas or asbestos. Tube 45 has an inner end 46 with a tapered mouth 47 engageable with the lighted end of a cigarette, said mouth opening into a bore 48 in which is engaged the unburned portion of the cigarette.

Tube 45 also has an outer end 49 and a perforated, inwardly conical end wall 50 extending across the bore 48.

In all forms of the invention, the device is so designed as to safely enclose the lighted cigarette tip. At the same time, the ashes are prevented from dropping. Still further, when the cigarette is to be put out, the inwardly conical end wall is shifted into the lighted tip to ,be used as a snuffer. 'Theentire device, :of course, canbe disposedof with the cigarette, due to itsine rpensive construction. r

While I have illustrated and described thepreferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I donot limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed'and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1s:

A shield for'the lighted .end of a cigarette comprising a, cylindricalbody portion ,having outer and inner sleeve members, saidinnersleeve member continuing at one end into an outwardly fiaringportion in the body portion opening outwardly thereof, said outer sleeve being spaced from said inner sleeve memberproviding a space therebetween, and a perforated wall joining said sleeve members at the other end of the inner sleeve member, said inner sleeve member being provided with a plurality of openings in its side wall communicating with the space between the sleeve members, the wall joining said sleeve members having openings communicating with the atmosphere, said inner sleeve member having a closure wall at one end formed with an inwardly conical portion extending axially of said inner sleeve member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 458,312 Hieatzman Apr. 14, 1891 886,352 Cunnington May 2, 1908 1,821,267 Loesch Sept. 1, 1931 1,936,691 Soss Nov. 28, 1933 2,120,027 Johnson June 7, 1938 2,249,913 Quilty July 22, 1941 2,333,957 Shackleton Nov. 9, 1943 2,406,685 Hinson Aug. 27, 1946 2,471,116 Hewberger May 24, 1949 2,536,900 Atterbury Jan. 2, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,252 Germany July 25, 1883 344,657 France Nov. 10, 1904 

